• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.82-90
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• 1998

This study is attempted to examine Korean teachers’ perceptions of mental health problems in students and their attitudes towards psychiatric consultations through a questionnaire survey. The results of this study are as follows. 1) Teachers thought that 5.3% of their students had mental health problems, 1.9% of students required psychiatric evaluation, and 1.2% of students were referred or recommended psychiatric evaluation by their teachers. 2) The most frequent mental health problems in students discovered by teachers were distractibility and inattention, lack of academic skills, and language difficulties in elementary schools；distractibility and inattention, conduct problems, and lack of academic skills in middle schools；and conduct problems, distractibility and inattention, physical symptoms, and substance abuse in high schools. 3) Teachers thought the mental health problems in students were caused by the family environment, psychological factors, the educational system, and a lack of mental health services. 4) Teachers desired smaller classes, improvement of the school environment, more time, regular mental health education, a special program for students with mental health problems, and the counseling staffs or consultants for the school mental health. 5) Teachers consulted with other teachers, the parents of the students, the counseling teachers, the health care teachers, the counseling institutes, the psychiatric clinics, and the principals in descending order to handle the hard case problems. The frequent reasons for failing in psychiatric consultations were the prejudice of parents against psychiatric services, the teachers’ sense of superiority in dealing with the problems of students, the prejudice of teachers themselves against psychiatric practice, and inaccessible professional consultation. 6) About 20.4% of teachers reported they had proposed psychiatric consultations or had recommended their students to receive psychiatric evaluations.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.249-259
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to analyze the users' behaviors and to suggest development strategies in Uljin Kumgang pine tree(Pinus densiflora for. erecta) eco-forest(UKPEF), which is located in Kyeongbuk. The data were collected by interviewing 122 visitors to september 3 from august 29, 2007 with a constructed questionnaire. The results of the analysis are as follows. 1. The major visitors of UKPEF are male and the age between 20 to 30, the residents of the Uljin county with relatively high academic background. 2. The motive of visiting UKPEF is mainly by the beauty and taste of Kumgang pine tree and the condition of the forest. The visitors are mainly composed of family, not big group. 3. The visitors of UKPEF have obtained information about the Kumgang fine tree forest mainly from friends, not from the internet or travel agency. 4. The visitors of UKPEF pointed out lack of convenient facilities such as toilets and water-supply facilities. However, visitors are satisfied by the condition of the forest. 5. The visitors of UKPEF set a high value on Kumgang fine tree, So, more active marketing strategy about Uljin Kumgang pine tree has to be established. 6. The visitors of UKPEF are more satisfied by the Uljin Kumgang pine tree forest than expected. The development strategies of UKPEF are suggest as follows. (1) Auto tram system has to be set up and new trail should be constructed to attract more visitors and people of other regions. (2) To attract group tourists, new program should be developed. (3) Advertisement through internet or travel agency has to be developed. (4) Government(local) should make a plan to register the forest as World natural heritage. (5) Monitoring and evaluation system has to be developed to satisfy tourists. In conclusion, the efforts of taking care of and preserving the UKPEF should be made at the national level. I hope that more Koreans can have chance to feel and experience the value and excellence ofthe Uljin Kumgang pine tree(Pinus densiflora for. erecta)

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.71-130
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• 2008

Using data from the Korean Labor & Income Panel Study (KLIPS), this study investigates private income transfers in Korea, where adult children have undertaken the most responsibility of supporting their elderly parents without well-established social safety net for the elderly. According to the KLIPS data, three out of five households provided some type of support for their aged parents and two out of five households of the elderly received financial support from their adult children on a regular base. However, the private income transfers in Korea are not enough to alleviate the impact of the fall in the earned income of those who retired and are approaching an age of needing financial assistance from external source. The monthly income of those at least the age of 75, even with the earning of their spouses, is below the staggering amount of 450,000 won, which indicates that the elderly in Korea are at high risk of poverty. In order to analyze microeconomic factors affecting the private income transfers to the elderly parents, the following three samples extracted from the KLIPS data are used: a sample of respondents of age 50 or older with detailed information on their financial status; a five-year household panel sample in which their unobserved family-specific and time-invariant characteristics can be controlled by the fixed-effects model; and a sample of the younger split-off household in which characteristics of both the elderly household and their adult children household can be controlled simultaneously. The results of estimating private income transfer models using these samples can be summarized as follows. First, the dominant motive lies on the children-to-parent altruistic relationship. Additionally, another is based on exchange motive, which is paid to the elderly parents who take care of their grandchildren. Second, the amount of private income transfers has negative correlation with the income of the elderly parents, while being positively correlated with the income of the adult children. However, its income elasticity is not that high. Third, the amount of private income transfers shows a pattern of reaching the highest level when the elderly parents are in the age of 75 years old, following a decreasing pattern thereafter. Fourth, public assistance, such as the National Basic Livelihood Security benefit, appears to crowd out private transfers. Private transfers have fared better than public transfers in alleviating elderly poverty, but the role of public transfers has been increasing rapidly since the welfare expansion after the financial crisis in the late 1990s, so that one of four elderly people depends on public transfers as their main income source in 2003. As of the same year, however, there existed and occupied 12% of the elderly households those who seemed eligible for the National Basic Livelihood benefit but did not receive any public assistance. To remove elderly poverty, government may need to improve welfare delivery system as well as to increase welfare budget for the poor. In the face of persistent elderly poverty and increasing demand for public support for the elderly, which will lead to increasing government debt, welfare policy needs targeting toward the neediest rather than expanding universal benefits that have less effect of income redistribution and heavier cost. Identifying every disadvantaged elderly in dire need for economic support and providing them with the basic livelihood security would be the most important and imminent responsibility that we all should assume to prepare for the growing aged population, and this also should accompany measures to utilize the elderly workforce with enough capability and strong will to work.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.57-71
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• 1998

This study purports to examine sociodemographic characteristics and those factors associated with osteoarthritis in women experiencing the disease in order to make suggestions for the prevention and management of osteoarthritis in women. The subjects were 143 women who were diagnosed to have osteoarthritis and under follow-up care at an outpatient department of a university-affiliated hospital. The data were collected through personal interviews by using the structured questionnaire between October 6 and October 24, 1997. The degree of daily living activities was measured with 24 items, which were made based upon Katz Index, Barthel Index and Functional Status Index. Each item has 4 response categories : (1) being able to do alone with any difficulty, (2) being able to do alone with some difficulty, (3) being able to do alone with the help of a person or an instrument, (4) not being able to do at all. The data was analyzed with correlation analysis, t-test, ANOVA, and regression analysis. The results are summarized as follows : 1. As for the age of the subjects, 59.4% were between 45 and 64 years, while 28% were 65 years and above. The subjects having religion were 71.7% and 44.1% of the subjects were protestants. The educational level was low : 31.5% graduated from elementary school, while 30.1% had no formal education. Those married subjects were 72%. Fifty nine percent of the subjects evaluated their economic status as middle class. 2. Those people from whom the subjects currently receive some help were spouses in 35.8% of the subjects. Likewise, 50% of the subjects indicated spouse as the people from whom they want to receive help. 3. The score of the ability of daily living activities ranged between 48 and 96, with the mean of 78.94. Those means of physical activity, ADL(activities of daily living) and IADL(instrumental activities of daily living) were 14.89, 13.97 and 50.09, respectively. Except for the items of carrying heavy stuff and of washing clothes in the sitting position the subjects showed independence in more than 90% of the items, where Independence is defined as being able to do alone or with the help of a person or an instrument. 4. The increase in age was a significant predictor of the decrease in the ability of daily living activities. Those graduated from middle school and above showed a significantly higher degree in the ability of daily living activities than those with less educational level. The married women revealed significantly higher scores in physical activity, ADL, and IADL than the unmarried ones. The ability of daily living activities was not significantly related to having religion, economic status and living with family. 5. The average duration of experiencing osteoarthritis was 4 years and 7 months. Regarding the site of the onset, 65% of the subjects indicated knees. The women with osteoarthritis for less than 3 years were 65%. The ability of daily living activities was significantly different by the duration of illness : the longer the duration of illness, the less the ability of activities. The above findings suggest the need for developing those programs for prevention disabilities in performing daily living activities and for managing diseases targeting the women of middle and old age, with low educational level, and with unmarried status. In addition, there should be developed an instrument for measuring the ability of daily living activities which reflects daily lives of Korean women with osteoarthritis in order to examine comprehensive effects of osteoarthritis on women's daily lives in this country.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.59-66
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to study of utilization of dental high school and according to the pain experienced dental fear and anxiety. This survey was conducted on 370 high school students in Suwon from November 21 to 23, 2011. A total of 352 questionnaires were collected and analyzed. The collected data was analyzed using the statistical package SPSS 15.0 using frequency, mean and standard deviation analysis, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Duncan's test correlation analysis and Stepwise multiple regression analysis. The results state that students feel fear and anxiety were feeling anesthetic needle ($3.19{\pm}1.43$), seeing anesthetic needle ($3.14{\pm}1.44$). We found that students feel more rear and anxiety from caries treatment than scaling. It influence that having dental fear with past dental pain experienced during dental treatment and also hearing dental treatment of pain from their family and friends. We found out that there are some influencing factors on dental fear and anxiety, gender, oral health condition, smoking, pain experienced during dental treatment. We need to care dental fear and anxiety continuously and have prevention program. We have to try understanding students have dental fear and anxiety. So it's better they have good experience visiting dental clinic. We should develop the system and specially treat well while they have dental treatment with anesthesia and some sharp instruments.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.237-264
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• 2017

With the onset of the Human Genome Project, social concerns about 'genetic information discrimination' have been raised, but the problem has not yet been highlighted in Korea. However, non-medical institutions' genetic testing which is related to disease prevention could be partially allowed under the revised "Bioethics and Safety Act" from June 30, 2016. In the case of one domestic insurance company, DTC genetic testing was provided for the new customer of cancer insurance as a complimentary service, which made the social changes related to the recognition of the genetic testing. At a time when precision medicine is becoming a new standard for medical care, discipline on genetic information discrimination has become a problem that can not be delayed anymore. Article 46 and 67 of the Bioethics Act stipulate the prohibition of discrimination on grounds of genetic information and penalties for its violation. However, these broad principles alone can not solve the problems in specific genetic information utilization areas such as insurance and employment. The United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Germany have different regulations that prohibit genetic information based discrimination. In the United States, Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act takes a form that adds to the existing law about the prohibition of genetic information discrimination. In addition, the range of genetic information includes the results of genetic tests of individuals and their families, including "family history". Canada has recently enacted legislation in 2017, expanding coverage to general transactions of goods or services in addition to insurance and employment. The United Kingdom deals only with 'predictive genetic testing results of individuals'. In the case of insurance, the UK government and Association of British Insurers (ABI) agree to abide by a policy framework ('Concordat') for cooperation that provides that insurers' use of genetic information is transparent, fair and subject to regular reviews; and remain committed to the voluntary Moratorium on insurers' use of predictive genetic test results until 1 November 2019, and a review of the Concordat in 2016. In the case of employment, The ICO's 'Employment Practices Code (2011)' is used as a guideline. In Germany, Human Genetic Examination Act(Gesetz ${\ddot{u}}ber$ genetische Untersuchungen bei Menschen) stipulates a principle ban on the demand for genetic testing and the submission of results in employment and insurance. The evaluation of the effectiveness of regulatory framework, as well as the form and scope of the discipline is different from country to country. In light of this, it would be desirable for the issue of genetic information discrimination in Korea to be addressed based on the review of related regulations, the participation of experts, and the cooperation of stakeholders.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.107-115
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• 1999

Purpose : Enterobiasis is probably one of the most common parasitic infection world-wide. Human is the only known host of Enterobius vermicularis. Children are more commonly infected with Enterobius vermicularis than adults and infections are commonly recurred. In Korea, there is a high prevalence. So, we performed this study to evaluate the present status of Enterobius vermicularis infection among children in the Masan, Changwon areas and to determine the efficacy of flubendazole against this parasitic nematode. Methods : From November to December, 1997, urban and rural elementary school children and urban preschool children were examined for the presence of Enterobius vermicularis egg. All the children were examined once by an adhesive cellotape anal swab technique in the early morning at home by their parents guided by specific instructions for the technique. Results : 1) A total of 644 adhesive cellotape anal swab specimens was collected from 205 urban elementary school children, 290 rural elementary school children and 145 urban preschool children. Among them, 114(17.7%) were positive for Enterobius vermicularis eggs. There was no significant differences in the rate with regard to sex. 2) In the preschool children, the egg detection rate was 42(29.0%) out of 145 children. This rate was significantly higher compared with 72(14.4%) of 499 school children. 3) The egg detection rates in the rural and urban school children were 15.2, 13.7% respectively. There was no significant difference in both groups. In the 3rd grade and below in elementary school children, there was a higher rate compared with above 4th grade group. 4) In day care center where egg detection rate was high as 41%, the children were given two doses of 100mg flubendazole every 3 weeks, including staffs and family members. After treatment, egg detection rate fatted as 6%. Conclusion : Our data demonstrated that there was high prevalence of Enterobius vermicularis infection. In the light of these results, it is necessary to examine and treat children as soon as possible.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.105-131
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• 2005

This study intended to understand how the use of social welfare services and the satisfaction from the use affect poor children's psychosocial adjustment. Especially, it focused to find out whether the use of satisfied services has an independent effect on poor children's psychosocial adjustment when other relevant variables are controlled. Participants are 904 poor children from 16 nationwide cities/provinces who receive financial sponsorship from Korea Welfare Foundation in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Among them, 8.2% is from youth-headed homes, 22.7% is from grandparent-care homes, 8.2% is from relative foster homes, 1.8% is from non-relative foster homes and 59.1% is from other poor families. The results of this study are as follows: 1) According to MANOVA, poor children who received 2 or more satisfied social welfare services are significantly different from those who received 1 or no service in their combined psychosocial adjustment subcategories. Delinquency among the subcategories is the most influencing variable in combined differences. 2) Controlling sex, age, family structure and other variables that are considered to be related to delinquency in previous research, the use of satisfied services is still the significant variable in decreasing delinquency among poor children. 3) Interaction effect between the use of satisfied services and parental supervision was statistically significant. Under the low level of parental supervision, the use of satisfied services has a significant effect on the decrease of delinquency. However, under the high level of parental supervision, the use of satisfied services has little effects. From these results, we found out that the use of satisfied social welfare services is a very significant factor influencing to prevent or decrease delinquency among poor children. Also we found out that it is critically important for poor children who receive the low level of parental supervision to have good-quality social welfare services in order to prevent delinquency.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.20
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• pp.8607-8612
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• 2014

Background: Breast cancer patients experience a variety of altered appearance - such as loss or disfigurement of breasts, discolored skin, and hair loss - which result in psychological distress that affect their quality of life. This study aims to evaluate the impact of socioeconomic status on the altered appearance distress, body image, and quality of life among Korean breast cancer patients. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted at advocacy events held at 16 different hospitals in Korea. Subjects were eligible to participate if they were 18 years of age or older, had a histologically confirmed diagnosis of breast cancer, had no evidence of recurrence or metastasis, and had no psychological problems at the time of the survey. Employment status, marital status, education, and income were assessed for patient socioeconomic status. Altered appearance distress was measured using the NCI's cancer treatment side effects scale; body image and quality of life were measured by the EORTC QLC-C30 and BR23. Means and standard deviations of each outcome were compared by socioeconomic status and multivariate linear regression models for evaluating the association between socioeconomic status and altered appearance distress, body image, and quality of life. Results: A total of 126 breast cancer patients participated in the study; the mean age of participants was 47.7 (SD=8.4). Of the total, 83.2% were married, 85.6% received more than high school education, 35.2% were employed, and 41% had more than $3000 in monthly household income. About 46% had mastectomy, and over 30% were receiving either chemotherapy or radiation therapy at the time of the survey. With fully adjusted models, the employed patients had significantly higher altered appearance distress (1.80 vs 1.48; p<0.05) and poorer body image (36.63 vs 51.69; p<0.05) compared to the patients who were unemployed. Higher education (10.58, standard error (SE)=7.63) and family income (12.88, SE=5.08) was positively associated with better body image after adjusting for age, disease stage at diagnosis, current treatment status, and breast surgery type. Similarly, patients who were married and who had higher education had better quality of life were statistically significant in the multivariate models. Conclusions: Socioeconomic status is significantly associated with altered appearance distress, body image, and quality of life in Korean women with breast cancer. Patients who suffer from altered appearance distress or lower body image are much more likely to experience psychosocial, physical, and functional problems than women who do not, therefore health care providers should be aware of the changes and distresses that these breast cancer patients go through and provide specific information and psychosocial support to socioeconomically more vulnerable patients.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.23-39
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• 2004

Background: It is important to provide health education to students to ensure a healthy life. Using the internet for health education may be a way to overcome the practical barriers to health education such as time and content. This study was conducted to investigate the demands for health education using the internet. Subjects and methods: Six hundreds and twenty-four and male female students in middle and high schools, who lived on Gyeongju-si and Seongju-gun in Gyeongsangbuk-do province, were interviewed by means of structured questionnaires, from March 5 to March 28, 2003. Results: More than 90% of the subjects had their own computers, and nearly 38% of those possessing their own computers had accessed internet sites related to health and medicine. Middle school students and in particular, female students were more desirous for health education through e-mail. Regarding content, the three major topics which the respondents wanted to learn about were healthy lifestyles, growth and development, and disease prevention. In terms of the interval for providing educational materials, over half of the students wanted information once a week. Most of the students wanted to have the quantity of the material be one page. In addition, there were numerous additional topics requested by the students such as sleep and health, contraception and family planning, safety education, cancer prevention, emotional instability of juveniles, the utilization of medical care facilities, stress management, etc. Conclusion: The students had a desire for health education through the use of e-mail, and methods and materials should be developed for appropriate health education using the internet.